The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically opening and closing the lid of a vial. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically opening and closing a vial lid so that liquid contained therein can be transferred to a testing container.
Bodily fluids, such as, for example, urine or blood, are analyzed for many purposes. These include, for example, screening for the presence of deleterious or illegal substances, such as, for example, alcohol or illegal drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, etc., or to test for health reasons, such as to determine cholesterol levels, sugar levels, etc. The test liquid is typically deposited by a test subject in a specimen vial. All or a portion of the liquid is conventionally transferred from the specimen vial to a testing vial by manually pouring liquid from the specimen vial into the testing vial. Alternatively, pipettes have been used to aspirate blood from the specimen vial and, thereafter, dispense that blood into the testing vial. The testing vial is then placed in a testing rack and is tested in a conventional manner.
After a sample vial is filled with fluid (e.g., blood or urine), the lid of the vial is snapped shut to an air and liquid tight closed position. Additionally, any latch, which may be provided on the lid, is pivoted to an engaged or latched position with respect to a tab projecting outwardly on the outer surface of the container. Thereafter, for some applications, a tamper evident tape is typically applied over the top surface of the lid, and the ends of the tape are pressed down and adhered against the outer side walls of the container. Thus, the integrity of the tape provides evidence that the initial seal of the container, after sample collection, has not been compromised. The tape is not to be torn until just prior to the time of testing. Subsequently, the tape must be separated, preferably near the juncture of the vial lid and the container top wall, to open the lid initially.
The transfer of the liquid from the sample vial to the testing vial must maintain sample and data integrity and be conducted with care to ensure the accuracy of the testing results. In other words, the sample and testing vial for each individual specimen must not be cross-contaminated with any other specimen or testing vial.
Currently, there is no automated process for automatically opening a hinged sample vial so that the liquid contained therein can be transferred to a testing vial. One of the reasons for the lack of any automated systems is because the risk of cross-contamination between any two or more specimens must be avoided.
Accordingly, in one embodiment, the present inventors have found it advantageous to pre-score the tamper proof tape in an area adjacent to the junction line between the lid and the container before opening the lid. Alternatively, the tape may be provided with a pre-score or pre-perforation. However, this has not become the industry practice because, in practice, it requires precision in the field by the users to place the tape in a proper position on the vial so that the pre-scored perforations in the tape align with the juncture between the lid and the container. By pre-scoring the tape a relatively lower force is required to open the container.
The present inventors have also discovered that, on some occasions, a pressure difference exists between the hermetically sealed volume within the container and the ambient atmosphere at the testing site. The pressure difference can be created, for example, by temperature differences and/or atmospheric pressure differences between the sample site and the testing site. These pressure differences can cause the liquid within the container to atomize upon opening. Thus, in one embodiment, the present inventors have found it desirable to open the container only partially, to the extent necessary to cut the tape, and, thereafter, maintain the downwardly depending flange of the container lid in an overlapped position (the lid overlapped position) with respect to the upper cylindrical end wall of the container. The container is thereby vented to the ambient atmosphere to equalize the pressure therein and the spraying or atomization effect is greatly reduced. This also reduces or eliminates the risk of cross-contamination.
In another embodiment, the present inventors have also found it desirable to only open one specimen vial at a time and to maintain any previously opened specimen vials in the lid overlapped position during any indexing movement of the vials to further reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention demonstrating further features, objects and advantages of the present invention, an apparatus and method for opening a vial lid with respect to its respective container includes the lid having a tamper evident tape applied over a top surface of the lid with the ends of the tape being adhered against the outer side walls of the vial container below a juncture of the lid and the container outer wall. The tape has a score on each side in the area adjacent to the juncture. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a device for opening the lid by lifting the lid with respect to the container by a sufficient elevation to ensure that the tape score is substantially completely separated. A second device places a downwardly depending flange of the lid in an overlapped position with respect to an upper end wall of the container after the lid has been opened.
In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to an apparatus comprising: (a) an orientation device for situating a vial container to a predetermined position in preparation for a lid of the vial container to be opened, the vial container having an opening at its upper end for containing a liquid and a lid attached to one portion of the upper end of the vial container by a hinge, the vial lid having a latch with an aperture and the vial container having an outwardly projecting post wherein the apparatus of the latch fits around the post thereby securing the lid onto the vial container in a closed position; (b) a latch opening device for separating the latch from the post thereby placing the latch in an opened position; and (c) a lid opening device for situating the lid of the vial container to a first predetermined upper limit position.
In another embodiment, the apparatus has a lid pivoting device for opening the lid to a second position to allow transfer of the liquid within the vial container. In a further embodiment, the apparatus has a rack brake device and a plurality of racks containing a plurality of vial containers. The rack brake device comprises a motor which drives a lead screw which drives a pair of opposing ranges to secure the racks in place. The motor can run in reverse to release the brake. In still a further embodiment, the apparatus can have conveyers for moving the vial container from the orientation device to the latch opening devices and to the lid opening devices.
In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for automatically opening and closing lids of a vial container. The method comprises the steps of: (a) orientating the vial container to a predetermined position in preparation for the lid of the container to be opened, the vial container having an opening at its upper end for containing a liquid and a lid attached to one position of the upper end of the vial container by a hinge, the lid having a latch with an aperture and the vial container having an outwardly projecting post wherein the aperture of the latch fits the post thereby securing the latch in a closed position; (b) separating the latch from the post thereby placing the latch in an opened position; and (c) opening the lid to a first predetermined upper limit position. In a further embodiment, the method comprises the step of opening the lid to a second position to allow transfer of the liquid.
In still a further embodiment, the method comprises closing the lid onto the container after transfer of the liquid. In yet another embodiment, the vial container has a tape adhered over the lid and overlapped against outer side walls of the container and the method further comprises pre-scoring the tape before orientating the vial container. In still another embodiment, step (c) further includes separating the prescored tape during opening the lid.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention relates to a system comprising: a) a loading station from loading at least one vial container in a closed position, the container having an opening at its upper end for containing a liquid and a lid attached to one portion of the upper end of the container by a hinge; b) an orientation device for situating the vial container to a predetermined position in preparation for the lid to be opened; c) a lid opening device for situating the lid to a first predetermined upper limit position; d) a lid pivoting device for opening the lid to a second position to allow transfer of the liquid; e) a lid closing device for closing the lid upper completion of the transfer; and (f) an unloading station for unloading the vial containers.
In another embodiment, the vial container has bar codes and the system has a bar code reader. The system may also comprise a plurality of containers and the container may be placed in a plurality of racks. In yet another embodiment, the vial container has a latch with a aperture and the container has an outwardly projecting post wherein the aperture of the latch fits around the post thereby securing the lid onto the container in a closed position and the system further comprises a latch opening device for separating the latch from the post thereby placing the latch in a closed position. The system may have at least one conveyor.
In still a further embodiment, the present invention provides a method for automatically opening and closing vial lid and transferring the contents of the vial during an open position. The method comprises the steps of: a) loading a vial container onto a conveyer, the vial container having an opening at its upper end for containing a liquid and a lid attached to one position of the upper end of the container by a hinge; b) orientating the container to a predetermined position in preparation for the lid to be opened; c) opening the lid of the vial to a first predetermined upper limit position; d) opening the lid to a second position to allow transfer of the liquid within the container; e) closing the lid of container; and f) unloading the vial container.